Karma

Master says: 

कर्म किये बिना चित्त शुद्धि नहीं होती  

Doing work is essential to purify our Chitta (Consciousness)

Master gives a beautiful illustration- while washing clothes, we use soap but the hard work put in, the effort, that’s karma . Without this, we can’t get rid of the dirt. This karma, work is an important and integral part of life.

This is one reason many Mahapurush keep working till the end, eg. Kabir was a weaver, he kept weaving till the very end. 

Its work not job:

So often, we confuse the two. Job is where one gets paid remuneration in exchange of the work put in. On the other hand ‘ work ’ is what we do in our respective lives. So for a child studying and going to school, is his work. A women looking after her house and family is doing her work.  A man doing his sadhana or studying the Shastra is doing his work. 

None of  the above may be getting money for the hard work they put in.

In today’s modern world, ironically the importance of work is seen in proportion to the money it brings in return. This is so unfortunate. 

When this question about work was put to Raman Maharishi, he replied, " my self-realization is my work; it’s my contribution towards society.”

Master says: हरी नाम का आश्रय  प्रमाद नहीं , समस्या के समाधान का  महा प्रयतन है 

                 Taking God's name is not laziness but the best way to find solution to the   persisting problems.

It's their love, their life, their religion

Have you ever come across Soccer fans, the die hard ones?
I happened to stay in one of the lodges frequented by such fans during the World Cup, in S. Africa.

Soccer is their religion, their love, their life, their passion. 

They live the love of their life. They follow it insistently. Then and there. Most can't afford hotels and prefer hostels and lodges. Nevertheless, they follow all the matches live and do not postponed doing so for some later time or day in life. Everything else becomes secondary- like accommodation, luxury, conveyance, comfort and any thing else that requires money- which of course is in short supply.

But they have bags full of:
> force of their love
> backing of strong conviction
> power of their soul to follow its chosen path

Staying in this Lodge- Rosebank Bag packers,  i had few revelations. I share them below-

When your heart wants to follow something, let money not be the deterrent.

Have a goal in life- a desire, a passion, a religion and stick to it.

Tulsi chose Ram, Meera chose Krishna, Paramahansa chose kali. 
For Gandhi it was freedom, for Morari Bapu it is Ram katha, for Micheal Jordan it is basketball. The list goes on and on. Look around , there are plenty who took up one dream, one desire, one path.
     
They stuck to their chosen path no matter what. Through thick and thin; joy and sorrows; trials and tribulation.

 Master says: Nothing can be an obstacle for the real seeker. Nothing and Nobody. All the barriers are within oneself- the wavering mind, logic asking intellect and our inner tendencies which keep changing.   

RAM

साधन सिद्धि राम पग नेहू I मोहि लखि परत भरत मत एहू II 

                                                                                    (Ayodhya-kand;289)
   Love and Devotion in Shri Rama feet is both the means and end for Bharat. Love was his sadhana as well as sadhya.

                                  He is my Ram,
                       He is my Krishna,
                       He is Allah for me.

                                  He is my Deva,
                       He is my Ishta,
                       He is Shiva for me.

                                   He is the fruit of my penances.
                       He is the source of my existence.

                                   He is the way, He is the goal
                       He is the answer to my soul.  
                         
   

Sunrise

As I sit on my terrace, holding a hot cup of sweet tea in my hands, early one morning, I’m mesmerized by the beauty of the sun, just peeping out in the horizon. 

Wanted to pen down a poem, a couplet, that very moment. Instead I just jot down my feelings; in my limited vocabulary and try to capture the beauty of the moment in prose.

Sunrise; Beautiful, Serene, Breath taking, New day, New hope, Vast potential, God’s blessings, Nature’s delight- all these and much more. A giant ball of pure energy ; making its way to a new beginning,  still so unpretentious, so calm and so very quiet. If I was one of those late risers I would not even notice it making its way in and showering its rays equally on everything.  Equality for all seems to be its motto! From the east to west, that’s been its route since millenniums, no detour or shortcuts. 

Master says: Take the good from anywhere and everywhere.

Diligent and sincere, a Janani; one on the Gyan marg would thus describe the Sun. A bhakti margi would say, because of its love, it burns itself but gives light to all. A karm yogi would easily learn the art of nishkam karma; work without thinking about its fruit. Is  it a surprise that in Sanatana Dharma we offer our pranam to the Surya every morning. 

A sunrise symbolizes ‘Life’, a new beginning! It’s a call to the whole wide world to begin once again, to rejoice, and celebrate being alive.

I wish to be all that a sunrise denotes and stands for, in this very wish lies the seed of my metamorphoses. ‘What you think, so you become’, goes the saying!

Restrain: A closer look

A closer look changed my views. 

I just returned from attending a Ram Katha organized in a middle-eastern country. Besides the natural beauty of that place, what I experienced first hand was the conservative dressing of the women-folk. Of course, in a way, it’s not new for me, being an Indian. I have seen it in my own country. 

Worldwide, women have to behave in a particular manner, with restrain. In India, we all are well aware of this fact. The more conservative the society, one sees more restrictions and rules. The eastern countries of China and Japan are quite known for the high level of restrain put on the fairer gender. The Middle East is an example, of extreme.

I’m using the word restrain for a specific reason. I am not judging, neither criticizing nor putting a label of right or wrong. Just observing !

Now the word ‘Restrain‘, is seen in almost all the religions of our times. Restrain on speech, restrain on food and restrain on sensual pleasures and behavior. I will expand this a little further:

A man is supposed to behave with restrain towards his elders and his superiors.

Like wise-

A student towards his teacher.

A child towards his parents.

An employee towards his boss.

A disciple towards his Guru. 

What I’m trying to get at is; restrain is not something forced and levied only on females. It’s a way of behavior applied to all human beings in one department or the other. If we look close enough, restrain is a good practice, a Sadhana; discipline of sorts.

The middle-path of Buddha is precisely this: speak, dress and behave with restrain. We appreciate a man of few words rather than the one who babbles endlessly. Personal garb kept with the surroundings looks more appropriate and appealing. The way a man behaves, his actions speak a lot about his over all maturity and character.

Now, the more evolved a person, more freedom s/he has. However, watch closely, it’s incredible, how a evolved man has a high level of self-restrain; his behavior is strictly confined and guarded.

All spiritual Masters are a testimony of this. They weigh every word and movement before execution. Is it any surprise that whatever they say or do become sacred, it becomes immortal! Mind you, they are the very people who are free from any bonds or rules. They are true giants flying in the open skies. 

M. k. Gandhi says, “The highest level of freedom comes with the greatest degree of discipline and humility.” 

Self-restrain is a virtue to be developed and needs practice.    

Restrain teaches: if you have it, do not flaunt it. Instead, know it to be a blessing from above and use for good of all. If one has more money, spend it on charity. If one is blessed with high intellect, use it for the good of society, at large. If one is showerd with above average beauty, make use of it to uplift the spirits, to higher realms of truth. 

A closer inspection and introspection often leads to better understanding and foresight. Suddenly, the word restrain doesn’t seem so appalling after all.